This invention relates to information transfer applications which can be implemented on each of a plurality of computer systems, and which enable electronic transfer of information items between the computer systems. In particular it relates to information transfer applications which store received or transmitted items in a storage means, and which also include means for controlling the transfer of information. By controlling the transfer of information, the quantity of storage space used by the storage means for storing items can be controlled. A typical information transfer application may be, but is not restricted to, an electronic mail application which enables the transfer of electronic mail, electronic documents, electronic files or the like, between computer systems. Lotus Notes is an example of an electronic application which can include a means for controlling the transfer of information.
A user of a computer system which is connected to one or more other computer systems may electronically send and receive information items to/from the other computer systems. This provides a means of communicating with users of the other computer systems. The computer systems may be connected via one or more networks, for example a Local Area Network or the Internet. The information items may be electronic mail, electronic documents, electronic files or the like.
To send and receive information, a computer which forms part of a network uses an information transfer application, for example an electronic mail application, which provides the computer user with the ability to create and send information items, and to access information items received from other computer systems.
When an information item, for example an electronic mail, is sent from a computer system, the item is stored in an xe2x80x98outboxxe2x80x99 associated with the application. Similarly when a computer system receives an information item the item is stored in an xe2x80x98inboxxe2x80x99. The combination of the outbox and inbox form a database, and in the case of an electronic mail application, is called a mail database or mail file. The information items in the database are stored in a storage means associated with the computer which sends and receives the information. The storage means is typically computer memory or disk space which forms part of a mail server associated with the computer. Alternatively the storage means may form part of the actual computer which is associated with the particular database.
Once a large number of information items have been sent and/or received by a particular computer, the database associated with the application becomes large and, therefore, so does the quantity of memory required to store the information items. The quantity of information the storage means can hold is limited and therefore information can no longer be stored once the limit is exceeded. When this situation occurs it is necessary to delete at least some of the information items contained in the database.
There exist systems which provide notification when the quantity of information contained in the storage means is too large. One such system alerts a mail server administrator that the storage means associated with a particular database is becoming full. However, generally deletion of the items has to be performed by the user of the particular database. Many of the items contained in the database can be of importance and only the user can determine which items should be kept and which should be deleted. Therefore in this situation the administrator is not in a position to perform deletions, but can merely instruct a certain user or users to delete items from their respective database/s. There is no guarantee that the users will actually adhere to such instructions.
In another system the user responsible for a particular database is notified directly when the associated storage means becomes full. Again there is no guarantee that the user will actually delete any items.
In yet another system, when the quantity of information in a particular storage means reaches a predetermined level, no more received electronic items will be stored. This has the disadvantage that a particular user will no longer have access to any items sent to them, until at least some items have been deleted from the storage means.
Thus there is a need for a information transfer application which entices the user of a particular mail database to delete electronic items from the database when the storage means associated with the database become full.
The object of the present invention is to provide a transfer control means to prevent a user of an information transfer application from electronically transmitting information items when a database associated with the application has reached a predetermined limit on storage space.
An existing application may be modified to incorporate, or work with, the transfer control means. Alternatively the transfer control means may form part of, or work with a newly developed application.
In one aspect the invention may be said to broadly consist in an information transfer application for enabling a user to electronically transmit items to, and electronically receive items from, a plurality of destinations. The application stores the items which have been transmitted or received in a storage means. The application also includes a transfer control means which monitors the storage space required to store the items. If the storage space required exceeds a first set level, then the transfer control means at least partially disables the application to prevent the user from initiating further transmission of items to one or more of the destinations.
In a further aspect the invention may be said to broadly consist in a system for electronically transmitting items to, and electronically receiving items from, a plurality of destinations. The system includes an information transfer application which includes a transfer control means. The system also includes a storage means. The application stores the received or transmitted items in the storage means and the control means monitors the storage space required to store the items. If the storage space required exceeds a first set level then the control means at least partially disables the application to prevent the user from initiating further transmission of items to one or more of the destinations.
In another aspect the invention may be said to broadly consist in a method for controlling an information transfer application which can transmit and receive items, the items being stored in a storage means. According to the method, when a request is received by the application to initiate transmission of a new item using the application then the storage space required for storing the previously received or transmitted items is determined. The required storage space is then compared with a first set level. If the required storage space exceeds the first set level then at least part of the application is disabled to prevent initiation of item transmission.